Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communicationsand Florville Catalyst, has been added to the elite writing team at Gotham Ghostwriters, a New York City-based, full-service book writing and book marketing firm. Gotham Ghostwriters is the nation’s premier ghostwriting agency for business executives and thought leaders seeking assistance in telling and selling their stories. Pauline will specialize in ghostwriting nonfiction business books and book proposals.

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLCwas a Keynote speaker at LiveOn NY’s annual conference on November 3rd for agencies providing services for older people in New York City. His talk was titled: Leading on Purpose, and discussed some of the keys to effective leadership.

Dr. Tom Denham,Careers In Transition LLC gave two seminars at the Small Business Albany Showcase on the topics, “The Big 3: Resumes, Cover Letters and Interview Skills.” Dr. Tom was also the featured speaker at the Castleton Public Library on the subject, “So you want to be an entrepreneur?” This month at the Ravena Community Library, Dr. Tom talked about “Job Search Strategies That Work.” He spoke to staff members at GTM Payroll Inc. on the topic, “Got Goals?” He also volunteered his time and talents by performing resume critiques at the Times Union Job Fair and the Saratoga Job Fair. In addition, he has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Thacher Climbing Coalition.

Bill Polk, Business Advisory Services was recognized for his 12 years as an instructor of Business Finance at The Capital Region Chamber of Commerce. On Wednesday, November 16 they held graduation ceremonies for it's award winning Entrepreneurial Boot Camp. 28 graduates, their largest yet.

Kat Koppett's firm-Koppett will be hosting part of the Leadership Tech Valley’s training session on
Friday, December 9, 2016, at the new Mopco Improv Theatre. The session titled Becoming a More Effective
Leader will focus on self-awareness and how it relates to leadership style. Kat's partner, Michael Burns will lead attendees in exercises exploring individual leadership styles and how one can be a more mindful and inclusive leader. This program will be among the first to use both the first floor black box theatre, and the second floor multi-purpose training space at 10 North Jay Street. Those interested using the space for similar purposes are encouraged to contact
the theatre at hey@mopco.org.

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance (CA) Newsletter finds you well!

As the Board has been in touch with CA members within the last few days about plans for 2017, I want to keep this message very brief and focused on a different topic.

I consider myself very fortunate for a host of reasons. One of those reasons is the opportunity to be a part of a community of kindred spirits, otherwise known as the CA. I have been further blessed with the opportunity to serve each and every one of you as President in 2016. With the concurrence of the Board, I will seek to do a better job in 2017.

Relatively few of us humans have the freedom to decide each and every day what we focus on and how we apply our talents. For that gift, I am extremely grateful.

I hope you can make time to stop by our Holiday gathering on Thursday at 5:30 pm at the Fort Orange Club. If you have not done so, you can register here: Holiday Gathering

Please join me in carving out a few moments for reflection and giving during this holiday season!

Tim Maniccia,President

Members Only (Plus One)
Holiday Gathering

Thursday, December 8th @ 5:30 pmFort Orange Club

Make sure to join us for the Consulting Alliance's holiday-time networking event at this specially-scheduled, members-only (plus one) gathering.

Spend time with old colleagues, get to know new ones better, all while eating, drinking (cash bar) and being merry.

Member registration: $20Plus One Guest at time of Member registration: $20

It’s a new year! What you can do to better manage your small business finances and taxes?

Alexander S. Kuchis, a CPA with T.M. Byxbee Company, CPAs will lead a discussion about solopreneurs and finances. Alex will deliver a lot of great information for people just starting out as well as for seasoned consultants. Topics he will address include:

- Seven common small business misperceptions

- How to choose the right business entity

- Five tips for starting a business

- Qualified small business stock exclusion

- Tax tips for small businesses

- Retirement account options

- The home-based business: Basics to consider

And if Congress or the IRS throw any curve balls out in late December that impact us, Alex will be prepared to explain them to us as well.

Alexander S. Kuchis, CPA, CVA, is a Senior Accountant with T.M. Byxbee Company, CPAs and is a Siena College graduate. He has over 30 years’ experience in public accounting, including audits, reviews, compilations, and tax preparation. Alex works with large and small businesses and is a Certified Valuation Analyst, permitted to provide expert opinion in both judicial and Internal Revenue Service forums.

Alex is currently a social member of the Hagaman Volunteer Fire Department, and serves as a loan review committee member of the Amsterdam Downtown Association for Business (DAB). Previously, Alex has served as a county legislator for Montgomery County. Alex was also previously a board member of the charitable organization Friends of Sanford Stud Farm (FOSSF), where he had worked summers while attending college. You can find out more about Alex at http://www.tmbyxbee.com/meet_our_team.php

Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communicationsand Florville Catalyst, completed the massive, open, online course (MOOC) “Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills” through the University of Michigan. The seven-week course focused on the four stages of the negotiation process, strategies for increasing negotiating power and ethical dilemmas encountered during negotiations.

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLChas again partnered with the Capital Region Theological Center to offer a series of workshops designed for non-profit agencies in the Capital Region. The programs are open to the public. There's still time to register for:

Ray Patterson Consulting, LLC – The “renamed and rebranded” version of Capital Consulting Group, llc, now operating in Weyers Cave, VA. is happy to share that I am continuing to support clients in New York’s Capital Region, and also developing new clients in the Harrisonburg Virginia area. While my confidential relationships with my clients preclude naming them specifically, I can share that one client is in the “outdoor experiential” industry, and other clients are being developed in the agri-business industry.

“New Starts” and “restarts” are not easy, yet when you know your true calling / purpose in life, these times of change are very exciting and energizing. I believe the same goes with taking advantage of change, or creating change in your existing business – not easy, but can be very energizing, and in some cases, necessary to ensure longevity and self gratification.

This reminds me of one of my clients from some time ago. When their organization was facing significant challenges, they openly discussed the challenges throughout the organization, at every level, and understood that they had hard choices to make. They even developed a series of “Business Education Courses” and the first one was titled: “The Challenge – The Choice to Change”. They explored all aspects of their challenges and choices, even the choice of not changing. They quickly realized that if they didn’t make fundamental changes, they would cease to exist. Taking a hard look at the choices available is very helpful, particularly when you evaluate the consequences (both intended and unintended) of the choices.

The ideal time to employ outside consultants is when you are facing challenges and opportunity. However, don’t hire a consultant to tell you what to do, unless you want them to take over your organization and run it for you. You know your business better than anyone else, so hire a consultant to help you think through the process of change and opportunity capitalization. Hire a consultant that you trust and respect. Hire a consultant that can challenge, lead, and support you as you think through designing and implementing change for your competitive advantage. You can find many such consultants at The Consulting Alliance – in New York and Virginia as well!

Lynette Seawall, Performance Plus will be presenting Cut Through Communication Chaos to IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysts) on Tuesday, November 1st. Lynette, in conjunction with her strategic partner, Target Training International, is providing complimentary Talent Insights assessments to participants. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to become more self-aware, understand others better, and work more productively in teams. Learn more about yourself andtake a complimentary assessment on the science of self

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

Members and Friends

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance (CA) Newsletter finds you well!

Members of the CA Board meet last week to talk about where we are and what we can do to create a better future for the organization and its members. We have a few ideas, each of which is evolving as we do more listening to each other and to other members.

Along those lines, Bill Phillips, Clare Monteau and I have contacted those members who are the most active to better understand ‘the job(s) they hire the CA to do’. We did so because we want to make sure the CA is doing those jobs well, get ideas on how we can do them better and ensure that we do not walk away from those jobs as we think about 2017.

For those of you that did not make the most active list, your opinion matters too. We expect to reach out to you in the coming weeks with a short survey. The goal is similar to the phone interviews. We just have more people in this category so need a different tool to get guidance as we finalize plans for 2017. As I have mentioned previously, if you have an idea, please do not wait for the survey to share it. I am always happy to kick ideas around via email, phone or over coffee.

You may remember that we are holding a contest this year. The CA member that brings the most guests to lunch in 2016 gets to attend the CA Holiday Event (scheduled for December 8, 530pm at the Fort Orange Club) for free.

As it stands right now, Jerry Shaye leads the pack. But his victory is not mathematically certain. Join us and bring guests to lunch on Friday (November 4, 11:30 am at Wolferts Roost) for your last chance to make this a horse race. You will also have an opportunity to participate in a little ‘speed networking’ to strengthen your network. And who doesn’t need a stronger network?

Finally, please let me know right away if you wish to be considered for an officer, board member, or committee chair role. All you need is time, energy and a commitment to serving your fellow members. In terms of commitment, this might require a few hours of your time each month. If you have the time to give, the CA is very happy to receive!

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,President

Speed Networking

Presented by
Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLC

November 4, 2016 @ 11:30 amWolferts Roost Country Club

Alan Krieger, president of Krieger Solutions, LLC and Program Chair for the Consulting Alliance will lead a fun, energetic speed-networking program during which participants will meet and introduce themselves to one another in order to expand business connections. If you’ve been to our lunches you know how hard it is to get to meet everyone in the room. If you’ve never been, here’s a great way to get started!

This program will give you an opportunity to:

get to know some of the top consultants in the capital region

meet people you never get to talk to at our lunches

get the word out about your business

learn more about the Consulting Alliance

have some fun!

Alan Krieger is founder and president of Krieger Solutions, LLC, a training and consulting firm that helps companies solve their people problems. Alan’s focus is on leadership, communication, team building and problem solving. He provides training and leadership coaching. Alan has been leading his company for 23 years and has helped thousands of leaders learn to lead.

Is someone you work with driving you nuts? How often do you bang your head against the wall trying to figure out why some people act the way they do? Wouldn’t it be great to finally end this communication chaos?

Cut through Communication Chaos is an interactive session to boost your connections with clients, colleagues, and prospects. Learn useful tips to facilitate effective communications in your professional and personal life!

You will:

Increase your self-awareness

Understand others better

Improve your communications skills

Pre-work for the session takes 20 minutes which many members have already completed. For those who have not, please complete the survey using the link below, and your results will be emailed to you prior to the breakfast. Bring either an electronic or printed version for our breakfast discussion.

http://www.ttisurvey.com/310783CCH

Lynette Seawall founded Performance Plus in 1999 and joined her colleagues at the Consulting Alliance within her first month in business. She transforms lives through leadership development and project management. Lynette holds an MBA in Management, is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst. As a productivity strategist, she collaborates with organizations and individuals with a focus on communications, technology, and process design.

The Consulting Alliance announces two lunch programs open to the public and two breakfast programs for members only. October program information is within this newsletter. For November, the lunch program is the 1st Friday, November 4th with a Speed Networking presentation by Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLC. On November 18th (3rd Friday) Lynette Seawall, Performance Plus will continue our communication theme and present a program called Cut through Communication Chaos.

For more information or to register for any of these, go to http://consultingalliance.org/events

Member News

Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communicationsand Florville Catalyst, a Westchester, NY, branding, marketing and design firm, have formed a strategic alliance. The partners offer marketing, public relations and branding-solutions for the cornerstones, stepping stones and milestones of the business journey.

Cornerstones include creating corporate identity and marketing materials to help companies establish a customer base and a market presence. Stepping stones include developing strategic marketing and branding initiatives to help companies launch innovative products and services and move into new markets. Milestones include crafting public relations and business anniversary campaigns for companies approaching leadership transitions, mergers and acquisitions and significant business anniversaries.

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLChas again partnered with the Capital Region Theological Center to offer a series of workshops designed for non-profit agencies in the Capital Region. The programs are open to the public. There are three programs still to come in the fall series:

Alan will present: Tips For Trainers: How to Teach Leaders to Build and Lead Successful Work Teams at Hudson-Mohawk ATD’s meeting on October 21st from 8:30-10:30 at the Carey Institute in Rensselaerville.

Clare Monteau, Ph.D., Clare Monteau LLC is partnering to present a Train the Trainer program Essential Skills for Today’s Leaders: Context & Communication, a one-day classroom training which gives experienced educators and facilitators proven practices and leading edge tools to bring to their organizations to build cultures of trust and accountability. Details can be found here.

Clare presented her interactive 1-day workshop "Introduction to Lean" at the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in August.

Lynette Seawall, Performance Plus will be presenting Cut Through Communication Chaos to IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysts) on Tuesday, November 1st. Lynette, in conjunction with her strategic partner, Target Training International, is providing complimentary Talent Insights assessments to participants. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to become more self-aware, understand others better, and work more productively in teams. Learn more about yourself andtake a complimentary assessment on the science of self

Kat Koppett, Koppett and sister company the Mopco Improv Theatre are beginning a new chapter in their history. Over the summer they welcomed three new employees (Elizabeth Russell as director of operations as well as Alex Timmis and Livia Armstrong as improv program coordinators) and this fall marks the opening of their new theater and office space at 10 North Jay Street in Schenectady. Koppett is looking forward to offering new and expanded programing to the Capital Region and beyond.

Dr. Tom Denham,Careers in Transition LLC spoke at The Sage College in Albany on the topic, “Get LinkedIn or Get Left Behind.” Dr. Tom recently celebrated his 11year anniversary in full-time private practice.

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

Members and Friends

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance (CA) Newsletter finds you well!

In last month’s column, I told you about our efforts to better serve our members. CA VP Bill Phillips has been torturing the event participation data. He has learned that about 40% of us attended roughly 40% of the CA events during the Jan 2015-June 2016 period.

Is this healthy? At this point, I do not think we have a way of knowing for sure. Because we do not know how we have done in prior periods. Nor do we know how we compare to other organizations like us. Anecdotally, those that have been members for some time recall broader levels of engagement.

What we do know is that the public lunch has become a challenge. As I type on Saturday, October 8, registration for next Friday’s lunch on Cybersecurity for Small Business Owners featuring Reg Harnish of GreyCastle Security (https://www.greycastlesecurity.com) stands at ten curious souls, six of whom are CA members. Click hereif you are attending but have not registered yet.

We would love to better understand why members do not appear to be ‘hiring’ the CA for these type of learning, networking and social opportunities any longer. We think the best way to do this is with a short phone conversation. Our instinct is to learn why those in the 40:40 category I mentioned above value the CA enough to regularly participate. We would also like the chance to talk with the other CA members to better understand what keeps them away and what, if anything, the CA should do differently.

As I also mentioned last month, please do not be shy and wait for someone to call you. If you have an insight to share, we want to hear or read it. If we do not receive it, the Program Committee will make a recommendation for 2017 for the Board to consider. I feel pretty confident in saying it will differ from what the CA has offered in 2016 and prior years.

Along those lines, consider this the first call for those willing to serve as an officer (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer) or committee chair (Marketing, Membership, Program) in 2017.

President Harry Truman reportedly said “decisions are made by those who show up”. It is now time for all CA members to weigh in on decisions crucial to our future.

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,President

Cybersecurity Survival Guide for Small Business

Presented by
Reg Harnish, author and CEO for GreyCastle Security

October 14, 2016 @ 11:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

The pace of cybersecurity breaches has reached epic proportions. Small businesses are falling victim to hackers, hacktivists and nation states. Intellectual property, data and bank accounts have never been at greater risk - it's not if, but when your organization will be victimized. And while security clichés continue to be overplayed we see organizations learning the hard way every single day. Join Reg Harnish CEO of GreyCastle Security for a fresh and candid look at cybercrime today. This session will discuss the latest threats and solutions for security challenges in 2016, beginning with an analysis of cybercrime trends. Attendees will walk away with actionable advice for securing their businesses.

Reg Harnish is an entrepreneur, speaker, author and the CEO for GreyCastle Security, a leading cybersecurity consulting firm headquartered in Troy, NY. Reg has been practicing security for nearly two decades. Reg brings a thought-provoking perspective to the industry and strives to promote awareness, security "thinking" and practical application of security fundamentals. Reg attended RPI in Troy, NY, and is a certified CISSP, CISM, CISA and ITIL. Reg is a fellow of the National Cybersecurity Institute, serves on numerous security association boards and is currently an advisor to several educational institutions focusing on cybersecurity. Reg is a nationally-recognized speaker and has presented at countless industry and security events, including BSides, ISSA, ISC2, ISACA and InfraGard. Reg is a contributor to numerous security publications and has co-authored several books on cybersecurity awareness.

GreyCastle Security is a leading service provider dedicated exclusively to cybersecurity and the practical management of cybersecurity risks. GreyCastle was established to counter rapidly evolving cyber threats and to deliver cybersecurity solutions effectively, practically and continuously. GreyCastle Security provides Risk Assessment, Awareness, Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing, ISO and Incident Response services to businesses throughout North America. Their team is comprised solely of certified professionals and former security officers who bring a client perspective to everything that they do.

What do you say when the conversation around the conference table takes an inflammatory turn? Or how about when your client comes in too low on price? What happens when you have to give feedback on poor performance? In that moment: do you sink into your shell, or stick out your neck? We all want handle these moments with grace and authenticity. How can we get better at managing our discomfort in these touchy moment? Much like building muscles at the gym, we can exercise our communication skills and mindsets to prepare for these unpredictable, but inevitable moments. Kat Koppett, a specialist in blending the techniques of improvisational theater and traditional development skills will guide us through activities and discussions to help us expand our in-the-moment performance choices and better manage difficult conversations.

Kat Koppett is the founder of Koppett, a consulting and training company specializing in the use of improvisation and storytelling to enhance individual and organizational performance. Koppett has designed and delivered programs for such diverse clients as Apple, Facebook, Chanel, Prezi, Kaiser-Permanente, GE, St. Peters Hospital, JPMorgan Chase, Eli Lilly, and the URJ in places such as India, Brazil, Paris, Budapest and Oklahoma. Her book Training to Imagine: Practical Improvisational Theatre Techniques to Enhance Creativity, Teamwork, Leadership, and Learning, is considered a seminal work in the field of Applied Improv and is used by professionals around the world. Kat holds a B.F.A. in Drama from New York University and an M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and continually seeks to combine the wisdom and strengths of both disciplines to create programs that are both practical and transformative.

Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communicationspromoted for The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce the announcement by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo that Downtown Oneonta was selected as the winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative in the Mohawk Valley. Oneonta was selected as part of a competitive process by the state’s Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council. The state funding will revitalize Oneonta neighborhoods and generate new opportunities for long-term growth and prosperity. The Governor’s announcement was the highlight of The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce’s 30th business anniversary promotional campaign developed and managed by Bartel Communications.

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLC -co-sponsored fall workshop series. For more information, click here. The workshops will all be held in the Capital Region and the webinars will be recorded for later viewing.

Tim Maniccia, Policy Innovation contributed to the design and first edition of Priorities: A Citizen's Guide to Florida's Budget. The Guide is published by the Florida Policy Institute and can be found at: http://www.fpi.institute/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/A-Guide-to-the-Florida-Budget-Process-3.pdf

Tim Maniccia has been retained by St. Luke's Health Services for assistance in designing and describing a restructuring plan and project under the New York State Health Department's Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program.

Membership Committee News

The Membership Committee is delighted to announce our newest member - Israel Singer.
He is an art director, graphic designer, illustrator and multimedia artist at IzCreations. Welcome Israel!

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance (CA) Newsletter finds you well!

For many organizations operating on a calendar year, the fall months are about planning. So too with the CA.

The Board met last week to ask hard questions about 2016 and begin exploring what we can do to make 2017 more beneficial to members. As you know, participation levels at our public lunches are down in comparison to 2015 and we just cancelled our third consecutive lunch. I will say again what I said last month: this is through no lack of effort by the members of the Program Committee. I believe they have presented us with outstanding opportunities to learn, network and socialize. But the numbers are puzzling.

CA VP Bill Phillips is working with Nancy Reilly to get a detailed breakdown of the participation data for 2015 and year-to-date 2016 to see if it helps us ask better questions about why fewer people (members, in particular) are attending.

When this analysis is completed, you may find a survey in your inbox. Please take a few minutes to complete it. The broader the survey response, the better the inferences the Program Committee and Board can draw as they make decisions about 2017.

If you do not feel like waiting for a survey to arrive, please share your perspective with me or another CA Board member. I welcome any opportunity to chat by phone if you have time and insight to share. If you are feeling a little hesitant because your perspective might be a bit critical, please do not let that stop you. At the Board meeting last week we embraced the “truth over harmony” principle and, in my opinion, it served us well. The same goes for any conversation we have.

With the exception of the tireless service that Nancy and Erin Pashley provide, the CA is an all-volunteer organization. We get out of membership what we put into it. If you are underwhelmed by what you are getting, at least take a few minutes and share an idea on how we can improve. If you are willing to lead or we can find someone else to champion it, I am highly confident the idea will get a chance.

Finally, thanks to all of you for voting to welcome Israel Singer as our newest member. Welcome aboard, Iz!

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,President

Rev Up Your Marketing! A GPS for Consultants

Facilitated by
Pauline Bartel, M.A., Bartel Communications, Inc.

September 23, 2016 @ 7:30 amWolferts Roost Country Club

Do your marketing efforts sputter and stall? Then it’s time for a major overhaul of your marketing machine. Discover the state-of-the-art tools and techniques you need to rev up your marketing for 21st century performance. With these sizzling strategies, you’ll cruise at top speed along the marketing highway and reach your success destination.

You will learn how to:

Market from the solopreneur perspective

Find time for marketing while serving your clients and growing your practice

Create an unforgettable business impression

Get others talking about you and your services

Build a network that will supercharge your business

Pauline Bartel, M.A., is president and chief creative officer of Bartel Communications, Inc., an award-winning corporate communications firm. Bartel Communications builds the images of companies with words through innovative, creative public relations and marketing strategies. Pauline holds a Master of Arts degree in Public Communications and a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in English, both from The College of Saint Rose. Visit www.paulinebartel.com for further information.

The pace of cybersecurity breaches has reached epic proportions. Small businesses are falling victim to hackers, hacktivists and nation states. Intellectual property, data and bank accounts have never been at greater risk - it's not if, but when your organization will be victimized. And while security clichés continue to be overplayed we see organizations learning the hard way every single day. Join Reg Harnish CEO of GreyCastle Security for a fresh and candid look at cybercrime today. This session will discuss the latest threats and solutions for security challenges in 2016, beginning with an analysis of cybercrime trends. Attendees will walk away with actionable advice for securing their businesses.

Reg Harnish is an entrepreneur, speaker, author and the CEO for GreyCastle Security, a leading cybersecurity consulting firm headquartered in Troy, NY. Reg has been practicing security for nearly two decades. Reg brings a thought-provoking perspective to the industry and strives to promote awareness, security "thinking" and practical application of security fundamentals. Reg attended RPI in Troy, NY, and is a certified CISSP, CISM, CISA and ITIL. Reg is a fellow of the National Cybersecurity Institute, serves on numerous security association boards and is currently an advisor to several educational institutions focusing on cybersecurity. Reg is a nationally-recognized speaker and has presented at countless industry and security events, including BSides, ISSA, ISC2, ISACA and InfraGard. Reg is a contributor to numerous security publications and has co-authored several books on cybersecurity awareness.

GreyCastle Security is a leading service provider dedicated exclusively to cybersecurity and the practical management of cybersecurity risks. GreyCastle was established to counter rapidly evolving cyber threats and to deliver cybersecurity solutions effectively, practically and continuously. GreyCastle Security provides Risk Assessment, Awareness, Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing, ISO and Incident Response services to businesses throughout North America. Their team is comprised solely of certified professionals and former security officers who bring a client perspective to everything that they do.

Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communicationspromoted the 2016 Mohawk Valley Region Small Business/Workforce Development Summit that was hosted by the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce on
June 9, 2016. The event was part of
the Chamber’s 30th business anniversary celebration. More than 60 Chamber members were exhibitors
and more than 300 guests representing businesses from across the Mohawk Valley attended. The featured speaker was Lt. Governor Kathleen C. Hochul.

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLC - One advantage of Consulting Alliance membership is the diverse network we have access to. I was in need of a programmer to work on a project. I didn’t want to pay a fortune and I didn’t want to get someone who didn’t really know what they’re doing. This is a very important project for me and could be embarrassing if it failed. I don’t know enough about programming to have any idea if the person I was choosing has the skills I need.

So I called one of our IT members – Cody Anderson, and within a day he had connected me to someone who seems perfect. Reasonably priced, very knowledgeable, really heard me when I explained what I needed… we’re off to a great start! The proof will be in the pudding and that won’t be finished for a few months most likely (due mostly to my needing to move slowly with this.) I’ll update when the project is over and let you know how it went.

In any event, without my Consulting Alliance membership I would probably be contracting with someone in India via the internet and hoping for the best.

Bill Polk, Business Advisory Servicesjis enjoying a summer fare of helping clients in distributing farm goods, creative journalism, an inventor and a DC-Based Entrepreneurial NGO helping new residents from the Middle East.

Membership Committee News

The Membership Committee was delighted to extend the invitation to Marjorie Wilke and thanks the membership for unanimously approving her application. Marjorie is a multi-domain technology expert who combines knowledge of programming, physics, math, and biochemistry with business and management. This unique combination of scientific and business capacity strengthens the CA. Welcome aboard, Marjorie!

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

Members and Friends

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance Newsletter finds you well. I also hope you have found ways to stay cool and dry and are enjoying the summer!

For some, the summer is a slower time. Perhaps such a change of pace is by design. An opportunity to re-charge the batteries with family and friends at one of the region’s many cultural or recreational sites. Or at a special place outside the area. Or maybe it just makes sense to spend less time at work because others are away and it is harder to get anyone on the phone.

As you take this time to consider what it will take for you to hit your targets for 2016 and beyond, I ask you to contemplate how the Consulting Alliance (CA) can assist. When you boil it all down, isn’t that what the CA is all about? Serving as a resource to help our members be wildly successful?

I ask you to reflect on this because I think the CA is at a critical juncture. In my opinion, the Program Committee has done an outstanding job of signing up thoughtful speakers on interesting topics for both our member-only breakfasts and our public lunches. But our overall event participation in the first six months of 2016 is down by more than twenty-five percent from the same period of 2015.

We are excited that Jordan Munn and Marjorie Wilke have joined the CA family, and we have another couple of prospects in the pipeline. But our overall membership ranks are lower than they have been in recent history.

Does this mean the CA is doomed? Not by a long shot. It is on budget financially and the exchange of ideas at member-only breakfasts is richer than at any time that I can recall. But we do have some questions to ask and answer.

So while you are enjoying that ice cream cone or adult beverage over the next few weeks, ask yourself what the CA does, and could do, to help you be more successful and impactful. The only obstacle to us running with an idea is finding someone to champion it!

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,President

Members Only (Plus One)
Summer Social

August 12, 2016 @ 11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Yanni's Too

Every August the Consulting Alliance has only one meeting, a members only event. The objective of this event is to allow members to get to know each other in a more casual way and build deeper relationships.

(Lunch choices are on the event registration page. Cash bar is available)

The digital revolution has upended America’s journalistic institutions, shattering the economic model that has sustained them for generations. This imperils the survival of the newsrooms that have provided the sort of watchdog reporting that the Founding Fathers considered essential to democracy’s progress. Left unclear is whether the so-called “journalism of verification” – the kind of careful reporting that we have come to depend upon as an antidote to the bias of talk radio, advertising and political propaganda – will even be recognized by news consumers in the new media environment. What lies ahead for real journalism? And what are the implications for those whose work intersects with the mainstream news media, and depend upon its viability?

Rex Smith is Editor and Vice President of the Times Union. He has led the Albany newspaper since mid-2002 to national recognition for writing, reporting, photography and design, both in print and digitally. He is a former national correspondent and bureau chief for Newsday, and previously edited community newspapers in New York and Indiana. Earlier in his career, he was a congressional aide in Washington for four years and a television reporter and anchor in the metropolitan New York region.

Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communicationsand author ofThe Complete GONE WITH THE WIND Trivia Book (2nd edition) is collaborating with Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas in Saratoga Springs, NY, for
a 100th birthday salute to actress
Olivia de Havilland, who portrayed Melanie in the iconic 1939 film. The theatre will offer two screenings of Gone With the Wind (September
3 and 4, 2016 at 11 a.m.), each of
which will include a Melanie trivia
quiz for movie goers before the film,
a raffle drawing for an inscribed
copy of Pauline’s book during intermission and a birthday cake reception and booksigning with
Pauline after the film. Bartel Communications will handle publicity for the event.

Dr. Tom Denham, Careers In Transitions LLC spoke at the Colonie Chamber of Commerce on
the subject, “Passion and Purpose in Your Personal and Professional Life.” Dr. Tom also gave a seminar at American Society for Quality entitled, “Get LinkedIn or Get Left Behind.”

Lynette Seawall, Performance Plusjust attended the Region 4 Project Management Institute (PMI) Conference at Mohonk Mountain House. 14 PMI Chapters were represented from Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Best practices were discussed and peer-to-peer “Birds of a Feather” groups communicated successes and challenges. Lynette has served on
the PMI UNY (Upstate NY) Board for
5 years and is the VP of Special Projects with a focus on strategic initiatives: board transformation, PMI 600, and Special Events.

Membership Committee News

On behalf of my fellow Membership Committee members Candy Rataul and Yamel Cuevas, I would like to welcome Jordan Munn to the Consulting Alliance (CA). Jordan
has a wealth of knowledge and experience in various aspects of process improvement. She hopes we can help her with some of the building blocks of establishing and growing a consulting practice. Please join me in welcoming Jordan!

Please also join the Membership Committee in our search for other independent consultants to join the
CA. The more diverse our collective experience, the more valuable CA membership becomes. If each of us vowed to bring forth a single candidate for membership in the next twelve months, imagine how the CA would thrive!

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

Members and Friends

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance Newsletter finds you well.

In my message last month, I mentioned one of the key value propositions of Consulting Alliance (CA) membership. That is, the opportunity to learn from each other. In a world as complicated and fast paced as the one we live in today, no one has all the knowledge they need.

I can hear some of you already. I have access to all the knowledge I need courtesy of the Internet and social media. Undoubtedly, that is true. The Internet is a magnificent resource, for a certain type of knowledge, which I will call know-what. For another type, which I will refer to as know-how, it is not nearly as beneficial. And that is because know-how is often tacit, meaning it is difficult to transmit by writing it down. For know-how to be transferred, it has to be done through extensive personal contact, regular interaction and trust. This kind of knowledge can only be revealed through practice in a particular context and transmitted through social networks.

If you were at our breakfast on June 24, you heard a lot of these words. We discussed the Community of Practice (CoP) concept further and explored its applicability to the CA. As a refresher, a CoP is defined as:

“Groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”

Sure sounds like the CA. At least during our member-only breakfasts and other events. We did not come close to operationalizing the CoP concept. So please share your stories of how you obtain know-how and how the CA might be able to assist.

We would love to see more of you at member-only events. It is at these events where I believe the caring and sharing aspect of CA membership is beautifully displayed. If teaching and learning are important to you or your consulting practice, I hope you will consider joining us on July 29 and/or August 12.

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,President

Ebola, Zika, and the Dawn of Global Pandemics: What’s coming next and what we all need to know? When does global become local? (3rd Friday)

Presented by
John Justino, the Director of the University at Albany Center for Global Health

July 15, 2016 @ 11:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

John Justino will discuss current global health issues and why we all need to be well informed about today’s global health challenges and threats. He will also address why we as a nation must invest significantly in collaborative international efforts to address them. Prior to his work with the School of Public Health, John had a successful international consulting practice. He will talk about what that was like and what it takes to become a successful international consultant.

Throughout his career, John Justino has worked at the intersection of the private and public sectors. For more than 20 years, Mr. Justino has applied proven business, management and marketing practices to achieve positive social change and to improve the health of vulnerable populations around the globe.

Lynne Bunnell will be featured in our Member Spotlight presentation this month.

Is it possible to invest in a start-up using your time, not money? Is it wise? (5th Friday)

Facilitator: Richard Frederick, Eastern NY Angels (ENYA)

July 29, 2016 @ 7:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

Dick Frederick, co-founder of Eastern NY Angels, gave a very interesting presentation at our May lunch program. He answered a question I’ve had for a long time – how can I do work for a start-up and get paid in “equity” instead of cash? How do you value a start-up?

We invited Dick back to our continuing series of Meetings with Regional Leaders for our July member-only breakfast. Dick will discuss in more depth the status of start-ups he works with, the possibilities for partnering with consultants to help those start-ups, and the due diligence involved. As always, it will be a free wheeling discussion. We could also explore:

· How much consulting anyone is willing to do (advised limit) where the prospect of payoff is at risk?

· How do you monetize your hours? How do you determine % share?

· Issues to consider if the business wants to buy out our share or pay us out.

· The types of skill sets start-ups most need and would be most willing to barter for.

· How investors might get engaged with start-ups reaching out to consultants… a possible role for the Consulting Alliance.

Richard Frederick is an experienced C level executive and serial entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience. He spent the last fifteen years of his career building and growing early stage companies. He has served as a mentor and coach to over 100 companies in the past 5 years. In 2001 he co-founded Autotask, one of the nation's first pure play Software-as-a-Service companies. He played a major role in raising over $14mm for Autotask from Angel and Seed investors as well as A and B round Venture Funds.

Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communications has backed a Kickstarter campaign to launch the Spark Exchange Incubator Program. The program will support six to ten seed-level creative economy businesses through space and educational programming at the Troy Innovation Garage.

With the Graduation of 18 new Capital Region Entrepreneurs, the available slots for the fall course are already filling up. Bill Polk, Business Advisory Services and Kat Koppett, Koppett & Company are among the Consulting Alliance members who support and instruct in this program. Bill is beginning his 11 year.
Bill also serves on the Program committee of the alliance. Contact him or Alan Kreiger if you are interested in helping with this committee or have a suggestion for future luncheon speakers.

Dr. Tom Denham, Careers In Transitions LLC gave two presentations at the Albany Job Fair in April on the topics “Networking Beats NOTworking” and ‘Get LinkedIn or Get Left Behind.” Dr. Tom also spoke to students at ITT Technical Institute on “High Touch and High Tech Networking.”

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLC collaborated with the Capital Region Theological Center to develop a training series for local church and non profit agency leaders. We just completed our initial series and had three great workshops that were well received. Two of them led by Consulting Alliance members (Alan Krieger and Clare Monteau). We’re developing plans for the fall. Contact Alan at alan@kriegersolutions.com if you’d like to learn more about this.

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

Members and Friends

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance Newsletter finds you well.

Thanks to all of you for voting to welcome Jordan Munn into the Consulting Alliance! We will all benefit from her knowledge and experience in improving processes using a number of different tools in a wide array of work settings.

I feel confident in making this statement because I believe the diversity of skills and experiences is one of the most important elements of Consulting Alliance membership. If each of us possessed the same knowledge and experience as each other member, not only would it be kind of boring, but, we would not learn much from each other.

I mention learning because I believe the Consulting Alliance exists, at least in part, so we can teach and learn from each other. That is why I think the Community of Practice concept holds such promise for us as we attempt to identify ways of enhancing the experience of membership in the organization.

Along those lines, scroll down to learn more about all of this as it is the topic of the next Members-only breakfast. I hope you can attend on June 24. We will be a stronger and more dynamic organization if we commit to caring for and sharing with each other.

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,President

Growing the Creative Economy – the Troy Innovation Garage

Presented by
Tom Nardacci, CEO and Founder, Troy Innovation Garage

June 10, 2016 @ 11:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

Tom Nardacci will discuss the Troy Innovation Garage, an entrepreneurial ecosystem specifically aimed at incubating, accelerating, fostering and growing creative economy companies in Upstate New York. The goal of The Garage is to generate a sustainable creative environment that advances progress in the region.

Tom will talk about what led to the project, its current stage of development, and his vision for its future. He will also discuss how consultants can become involved in supporting businesses that participate in the Garage. The Innovation Garage is a 14,000 square foot building that includes 75 co-working seats, 14 private suites, conference and meeting rooms, and a multimedia studio, along with a software and video game studio. The Garage is the only business incubator in New York State targeted specifically to creative businesses.

If this Resolution is interesting to you, please register NOW to attend the Consulting Alliance breakfast on June 24 to participate. As an added benefit, we will use an interesting set of tools to guide the discussion and ensure the meeting is highly productive.

Do you know a Consulting Alliance Member or are you one yourself? In 2016 we are creating a little healthy competition by awarding a prize to the member who brings the most guests to our public events. Guests, simply let Nancy know at the door who invited you and we will do the rest.

Member News

The Meadows at Glenwyck engaged Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communications as a speaker for The Senior Engaged Life program. Pauline presented the program “Gone With the Wind’s Rocky Road to Atlanta” to residents of the area’s newest senior living community. Her presentation proved so popular that she was invited back for a return engagement. She was the featured speaker at an open house for prospective residents at The Meadows, where she reprised her program and signed copies of The Complete GONE WITH THE WIND Trivia Book (2nd edition).

Lynette Seawall, Performance Plus just completed boot camp with her strategic partner, Target Training International in Scottsdale AZ. These solutions are based on the science of self: someone, somewhere in the world takes this survey every 7.6 seconds. For a complimentary assessment, take 20 minutes and learn not only how others observe you but what’s driving you! https://www.ttisurvey.com///294142NGQ

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLCwill be facilitating a three day leadership training program in May for managers in area health care agencies. The program is sponsored by the Adirondack Health Education Center under a grant from the NYS Department of Health.

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

Members and Friends

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance Newsletter finds you well.

As all of you know, the Consulting Alliance (CA) is a pretty diverse group. Our respective practices cover a wide range of specialties. From leadership and technology to communications and process improvement. And quite a few others, too.

Despite all this variety, there is one thing I think we can all agree on. And that is that the CA should do things to make every member’s life easier and not harder.

Regrettably, there is no Easy button like in the TV commercial. But I believe there are improvements we can make and many people have been working very hard to make one such improvement when it comes to CA membership and event payment options.

Every member of the CA Board as well as Nancy Reilly and Erin Pashley have been devoting dozens of hours these last few months to redesigning our registration, payment and financial reporting processes to make this aspect of CA membership as painless as possible. While we are not there yet, I believe we are close.

I expect to bring all of this to you in greater detail in a separate message in the coming days/weeks. You have my word that we will do everything in our power to make these improvements as seamless as possible. In addition to step-by-step instructions written in Plain English, the assistance may also include a webinar and personalized assistance to help everyone go from how we do things today to how we would like to do them in the not too distant future.

Change is often hard. If we keep the lines of communication open and proceed in a thoughtful way, I know we can make this aspect of CA membership easier for one and all.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns about any of this.

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,
President

The A, B, C's of Angel Investing The Challenges for Early StageCompanies in the Capital Region

Presented by
Richard Frederick, Eastern NY Angels (ENYA)

May 6, 2016 @ 11:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

Richard Frederick, an experienced entrepreneur and angel investor, and a co- founder of the Eastern NY Angels (ENYA), will discuss Angel investing, and how that fits in to the Funding continuum. He’ll also review what’s going on with angel investing in the Capital Region and nationally. The presentation will also discuss the state of affairs of start ups in the Capital Region and roles consultants can play with emerging companies.

You’ll leave this presentation with a better understanding of:

What angel investing is and whether it’s something you want to explore as an investor or entrepreneur.

It seems that every software vendor nowadays is coming at us with "cloud-based" software to solve business problems we didn't know we had. Truth is, there's more to your cloud platform than just your provider, and there are as many cloud, on-premises and hybrid alternatives for running your business' IT infrastructure as there are ways to leverage them. Cody Anderson of Evenerable Group, Ltd. will demystify and provide an overview of the cloud offerings from the major players - Google, Amazon, and Microsoft - and provide plenty of time for questions, answers, and discussion about features, flavors, and best-fit scenarios.

Cody Anderson has been an independent IT consultant for 22 years. In 2002 he founded Evenerable Group, Ltd. which provides information technology services to businesses and not-for-profits of all sizes. Cody acts as an outsourced IT department, providing strategic planning and operational support for all technology functions.

Do you know a Consulting Alliance Member or are you one yourself? In 2016 we are creating a little healthy competition by awarding a prize to the member who brings the most guests to our public events. Guests, simply let Nancy know at the door who invited you and we will do the rest.

Member News

“Business Anniversary Ideas: Let the SELL-abrations Begin!” written byPauline Bartel, Bartel Communications, Inc., is featured on AdTalk, the AdHub Marketing Blog. AdHub.com is an online directory and network of the New York advertising industries. Read the article here.

Steven Egna, CBA, CVA, ABAR, CM&AA Valuation Resource Group, LLChas been invited to speak at the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts annual super conference on June 9, 2016. The conference is being held at the famous Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, CA. Steve will be speaking about the integration and impact of a company’s balance sheet on its value.

Alan Krieger, Krieger Solutions, LLCAlan Krieger has just formed a partnership with the Capital Regional Theological Center to assist them in coordinating a new training series. The series will provide programs for non-profit leaders, board members and any other interested parties in leadership skills, organizational skills and team work. Clare Monteau, another Consulting Alliance member, will be providing
one of the sessions. In addition, Alan’s company, Krieger Solutions, LLC will be broadening its range to include several programs on creativity and spirituality. Programs are open to the public. Krieger Solutions, LLC will be handling registration and logistics along with providing the trainers. Register here.

Alan Krieger is also working on two evaluation projects that help clients better define their hoped for results to be more measurable and outcome oriented. Most people focus on the services or products they are going to provide since these are easy to measure. Getting down to the next level, to answer the “so what” question is the challenge. Yes… you did provide what you promised, but “so what?” What were the impacts of this work? Did it produce the outcomes you were hoping for? Both projects have been very interesting with a lot of learning by all involved. Click here for more information about these projects.

Bill Polk, Business Advisory Servicesis leading the Financial Components instruction in the Spring Entrepreneur Boot Camp at the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce. Participants include
veterans, students from Schenectady County Community College, and many others excited about bringing their business idea into reality.

Bill Phllips, WJP Partners Consultingwill be presenting at the 37th Annual Conference of the NYS Government Finance Officers Association on Friday April 8 at the Marriott Hotel in Albany. The topic is Lean Principles: Creating More Efficient Government Processes.

Denise Horan, Integrated Management & Sales Consultingis proud to share the news that she has been selected as a “Women Of Excellence” by the Capital Region Chamber for the category Excellence in Business Development. The big luncheon celebration is June 3.

Program Committee News

We had a great turnout and great discussion with Mike Hickey, CEO of CEG, at our March breakfast. We learned about the Regional Economic Development Council and it’s 5 year plan, discussed changes at CEG, and even veered into a discussion of higher ed. We also laid the ground work for exploring ways the Alliance members
can work more closely with CEG – stay tuned. We also had a strong turnout and heard an interesting entrepreneurs’ story at our March lunch. Annemarie Lanesey, from
Greane Tree Technology, discussed her Zen approach to entrepreneurship.

We have some great programs coming up (see http://consultingalliance.org/events for more details). David Allen Miller will be our April 8th lunch speaker talking about leadership, inspiration, managing really smart people and keeping arts institutions strong. On May, 6, Richard Frederick, of Eastern NY Angels, will discuss the A, B, C’s
of Angel investing and challenges for early stage companies in the Capital Region. Find out what angel investing really is, what’s happening in our region with emerging companies, and how consultants can play a role in this.

Our member only breakfast programs continue with two interesting programs to help us better run our businesses – April 29 brings Susanna Opper to help us focus our message about our business and our distinction. May 20 brings Cody Anderson to continue his tech talk series, this time focusing on building a business foundation in
the cloud. Hope to see all our members this spring!

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance newsletter finds you well.

If you were unable to join us for breakfast on March 18, you missed a real treat. Outgoing CEG CEO Mike Hickey took us on a tour of the Capitol Region’s Economic Development Strategy.

Formulated as part of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative and consisting of thirteen separate initiatives, it provides a roadmap for delivering 40,000 new jobs, moving 20,000 people out of poverty and growing the region’s population by 10,000 residents. You can learn more about the strategy here.

The Consulting Alliance is exploring ways to contribute to the success of the strategy. The first step in the process involves a contingent, consisting of Program Committee Chair Alan Krieger, past-President Clare Monteau and Vice President Bill Phillips, sitting down with CEG’s Michael Lobsinger this week. Stay tuned for more on this potentially productive partnership.

Our next opportunity to learn from each other comes on Friday, Aril 8. Join Albany Symphony Music Director and Conductor David Alan Miller for a discussion of how conducting orchestras is like running a company, complete with insights into the world of orchestral performance and the challenges arts groups confront. How do we stay relevant, strong, and vital, in a constantly changing environment? How are arts institutions changing their approaches to succeed in the world today? How do you get 85 brilliant people to embrace your vision and follow you anywhere? There is only one way to find out. And that is to join us and the Maestro for lunch. Register here.

You can also look forward to learning how Clare Monteau helps clients create performance, passion and purpose in the workplace during the Member Spotlight!

And don’t forget about our prize for the CA member that brings the most guests to CA lunches. Starting with lunch last month and ending with the lunch in November 2016, a single point will be awarded to each member that brings a guest to lunch. As an added bonus, if that guest happens to join the CA during this period, the member will get a second point. The member with the most points at the end of the period is the winner and will get to attend the CA Holiday event for free.

Nancy Reilly will keep a running tally so we will all know where we stand throughout the year. Thanks to the members of the Blue Skies Committee for this (and many other) wonderful suggestion(s)!

Please also mark your calendar for our next Member-only breakfast on Friday, April 29 at 730 am. Not only will we get a taste of eggs, waffles or fruit, we will also get a taste of the magic Susanna Opper uses to help clients get their messages out effectively.

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,
President

Conducting Business: Maestro

David Alan Miller talks about

Leadership, Inspiration,

Managing Really Smart People,

and Keeping Arts Institutions

Strong

Presented by
David Allen Miller, Conductor / Music Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra

April 8, 2016 @ 11:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

Grammy Award-winning conductor David Alan Miller has established a reputation as one of the leading American conductors of his generation. Music Director of the Albany Symphony since 1992, Mr. Miller has proven himself a creative and compelling orchestra builder. Through exploration of unusual repertoire, educational programming, community outreach and recording initiatives, he has reaffirmed the Albany Symphony’s reputation as the nation’s leading champion of American symphonic music and one of its most innovative orchestras. He and the orchestra appeared twice at "Spring For Music," the festival of America's most creative orchestras at New York City's Carnegie Hall.

Wordsmithing Your Distinction

(5th Friday)

Facilitated by
Susanna Opper of Shawenon Communications

April 29, 2016 @ 7:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

In today’s information-packed world, you don’t have a lot of stage time to let people know about your products and services. Getting your message across successfully requires clear thinking, sound strategy and a bit of magic. During this session, we’ll consider what you say about your business and how you can communicate it effectively.

Susanna Opper is a seasoned consultant with Fortune 100 companies and small businesses alike. She has been communicating online since the medium’s inception. Since 2002 she has headed Shawenon Communications, which specializes in email marketing. Her book on electronic group communications—Technology for Teams: Enhancing Productivity in Networked Organizations—was published in 1992. She holds an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business and is a graduate of Brown University.

Do you know a Consulting Alliance Member or are you one yourself? In 2016 we are creating a little healthy competition by awarding a prize to the member who brings the most guests to our public events. Guests, simply let Nancy know at the door who invited you and we will do the rest.

Member News

Pauline Bartel, Bartel Communications, Inc.has been engaged as a consultant by the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce to provide marketing and public relations strategyfor the organization’s 30th business anniversary in 2016.

Steven Egna, Aries Business Valuation Advisorswill be participating in a panel presentation and discussion on “Understanding Valuation from the Buyer’s Perspective” as a guest of
the XPX Owners’ Academy. This is
the first workshop of three and is scheduled for March 3, 2016 at
Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Contact Steve for more information if you are interested in attending.

Tim Maniccia, Policy Innovationled a team of professionals at the New York Department of State’s Division of Local Government Services in designing the Municipal Restructuring Fund – a new $25 million program to assist local government and school officials with developing transformative projects that will lead to property tax reductions for New Yorkers. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-25-million-funding-local-governments-and-school-districts-throughout

Lynette Seawall, Performance Plushas renewed her strategic partnership with Target Training International as a CPBA / CBVA (Certified Professional Behavior and Values Analyst). In addition to her Project Management pursuits, Lynette is working with a new financial services client. She is utilizing the Talent Insights survey, the DISC tool as the key component. Behavior (how) and motivators (why) are used to establish the baseline for coaching and improving organizational performance.

For Consulting Alliance members, Lynette is offering a complimentary DISC assessment – this is an invaluable tool to understand behavior and how to best communicate with others. For those interested, email (LSeawall@gmail.com) or call her at 845.417.8165

About the Consulting Alliance

The Consulting Allianceis an associationof leading independent consultants with diverse regiona
l and national experience and
proven successin solving client challenges.

We are the ideal resource for organizationsseeking to hire a consultant with the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Membership in the Alliance, at the Professional and Associate level, provides consultants with a vibrant
and collaborative community
where they can grow their
businesses and advance their
skills.

President's Message

Members and Friends

I hope this edition of the Consulting Alliance Newsletter finds you well.

Please join me in thanking Elise Van Allen for sharing her wisdom about “Using the Cloud and Safeguarding Your Data” at the Member-only breakfast on February 26. Given her recovery from recent surgery, I am especially grateful for her commitment to educating all those that chose to participate.

That commitment to each other is exactly what I think holds the Consulting Alliance (CA) together. As I mentioned in my first two messages, I believe the CA has the potential to become a Community of Practice. In case you missed the earlier newsletters, a Community of Practice is defined as:

“groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”

Three characteristics distinguish a Community of Practice:

• The Domain- A Community of Practice is not merely a club of friends or a network of connections between people. It has an identity defined by a shared domain of interest. In our case, the domain is consulting and becoming more effective consultants.
• The Community- In pursuing their interest in their domain, members engage in joint activities and discussions, help each other, and share information. They build relationships that enable them to learn from each other; they care about their standing with each other.
• The Practice- Members of a Community of Practice are practitioners. They develop a shared repertoire of resources: experiences, stories, tools, ways of addressing recurring problems—in short a shared practice.

I think the Community of Practice concept holds great promise for us. It can serve to define who the CA is as an organization in this new and rapidly evolving era of 24/7, global connectivity. This clarity can help us attract new members and provide guidance to our programming. I welcome any and all thoughts you have on this direction for the CA so please do not be shy in sharing your perspective.

Our next opportunity to learn from each other comes on Friday, March 11. Annmarie Lanesey, co-Founder of Greane Tree Technology (https://www.greanetree.com) will talk about “Zen Entrepreneurship”. I do not know very much about what this means. But I sure am excited to learn from Annmarie.

You can also look forward to learning about Leslie Berliant’s business interests in the Member Spotlight. Talk about a creativity Dynamic Duo!

And don’t forget about our prize for the CA member that brings the most guests to CA lunches. Starting with lunch this month and ending with the lunch in November 2016, a single point will be awarded to each member that brings a guest to lunch. As an added bonus, if that guest happens to join the CA during this period, the member will get a second point. The member with the most points at the end of the period is the winner and will get to attend the CA Holiday event for free.

Nancy Reilly will keep a running tally so we will all know where we stand throughout the year. Thanks to the members of the Blue Skies Committee for this (and many other) wonderful suggestion(s)!

Please also mark your calendar for our next Member-only breakfast as we explore a more collaborative relationship with CEG and its CEO Mike Hickey on Friday, March 18 at 7:30 am.

Until next month …

Tim Maniccia,
President

Zen Entrepreneurship

Presented by
Annmarie Lanesey of
Greane Tree Technology

March 11, 2016 @ 11:30 am
Wolferts Roost Country Club

There are many ways to become an entrepreneur. Annmarie Lanesey who has built a successful software development company, Greane Tree Technology, attributes her success to being able to tap into her creative side and leveraging that to build her career. As a young woman in the tech world she had higher barriers to success than most. Getting into a creative flow carried her over the toughest obstacles. Annmarie will talk about tips for getting started as an entrepreneur, using creativity as inspiration to carry you down the path, and will present resources for those interested in pursuing this path.

Annmarie Lanesey co-founded Greane Tree Technology in 2008, and today successfully leads her team’s software development projects for publishing powerhouses, social media startups, academic institutions, national nonprofits, and government agencies.

Michael Hickey, Interim President & CEO of the Center for Economic Growth will meet with the Consulting Alliance members at our March 18th member only breakfast to discuss current initiatives at CEG and to explore how the Consulting Alliance and CEG might collaborate. This will continue our series of breakfast with regional leaders.

Mike took on the role of President and CEO of the Center for Economic Growth in July of 2015 after serving as its board chair. Mike has over 25 years’ experience in technology businesses, with the last 15 as a software executive. For the past five years he has served as Siena Colleges Executive in Residence and Executive Director of the Stack Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He has served as an officer for two public companies. He was a key leader in the business that bought over 12 companies. In his previous role as President of Pitney Bowes Software, Hickey managed a global software business to record revenue of $400 million with over 1900 employees.